[econjack]

I can remember when I had my own software company, selling mainly via mail order. Our major product was a statistics package and we had a large following in the educational market because it was so easy to use (i.e., no programming language to learn like SAS or SPSS). We also had a lot of non-profit companies (e.g. hospitals) use it. Such companies are exempt from our state sales tax. We were a small company with a maximum of 10 employees doing a couple of million in sales per year.

The State of Indiana accused us of not paying the appropriate sales taxes. When I asked the grounds for the charge, their reply was that any company with our level of sales and such a small amount of sales taxes collected was guilty of not paying sales taxes due.

An auditor came to my office and, for a period of 4 1/2 days, sat there demanding this record and that record to the point where neither me or my secretary got anything done during the period. At the end of the week, the auditor said: "You're right. You don't owe any sales taxes."

The tax collector gets away with the "you're guilty until proved innocent" approach to their business. I was so PO'ed I could have spit nails. I wish there was some way that I could bill the state for 4 1/2 days of my and my secretary's time.

[doodad]

I used to work as a contractor for the EPA and have seen them run roughshod over people with their “badge.”

It was disgusting and I left.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

When I asked the grounds for the charge, their reply was that any company with our level of sales and such a small amount of sales taxes collected was guilty of not paying sales taxes due.

Didn't Walt Disney invent this guy? Name starts with a "G" or some such (a-hyuk).